The optimal cancer care pathways (OCPs) describe optimal cancer care. They map the patient journey, aiming to foster an understanding of the whole pathway and its distinct components to promote quality cancer care and patient experiences.
The resources identify specific steps, or critical points along the care pathway and the recommended care at each point.
The Victorian Department of Health and Human services commissioned the Cancer Council Victoria to conduct a review of the Optimal Care Pathways. The pathways have since been endorsed by the National Cancer Expert Review Group (NCERG), Cancer Australia, Cancer Council Australia, and the Australian Health Ministers Advisory Council (AHMAC). The OCPs are being implemented nationally.
Clinical OCPs
For general practitioners and primary care staff
To support you, your practice, and your patients, you can refer to:
- Quick reference guides to understand the optimal cancer care for specific tumour types.
- I-PACED (Implementing Pathways for Cancer Early Diagnosis) resources highlight recommendations in the OCPs and provide information about prevention, early detection, initial investigation and referral pathways. These resources were developed with an aim to assist GPs about critical primary care points and the recommended care that should be offered. Refer to the resource cards for:
- Prostate and oesophagogastric I-PACED eLearning modules are based on common patient presentations in general practice and focus on imparting the necessary skills and knowledge to enable GPs to provide current evidence-based care to their patients. These free modules include case studies, tools and resources that highlight recommendations in the OCPs and provide information about prevention, early detection, initial investigation and referral pathways. For access to these modules, go to eLearning modules for general practitioners.
Patient resource: ‘What to expect’ guides
These short guides help patients understand the optimal cancer care that should be provided at each step and can be used to complement the clinical OCPs. Carers, family and friends may also find them helpful.
‘What to expect guides’ are located on an interactive web portal, with downloadable PDFs in English, Plain English and translation into multiple languages.
Visit www.cancerpathways.org.au
Other resources
Review
In 2012 the Department of Health commissioned the Cancer Council Victoria to conduct a review of the Optimal Care Pathways (then known as Patient Management Frameworks).
Review methodology
Governance arrangements
A Project Steering Committee was established in December 2012 to support the planning, implementation and evaluation of the review. Current committee members are outlined below.
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Members
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Title
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Professor Robert Thomas (Chair)
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Special Advisor on Health, Professorial Fellow, University of Melbourne (Chair)
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Associate Professor Anna Boltong
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General Manager, Strategy & Business Development, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne
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Ms Karen Botting
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Manager, Cancer Reform, Cancer & Aged Care Unit, Performance & Improvement Aged Cancer and Community Health Services Branch, Health and Wellbeing Division, Department of Health and Human Services |
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Ms Julie Callaghan
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System Improvement Program Lead, Cancer Institute NSW |
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Ms Spiridoula Galetakis
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Program Manager Integrated Cancer Services, Cancer & Aged Care Unit, Performance & Improvement Aged Cancer and Community Health Services Branch, Health and Wellbeing Division, Department of Health and Human Services |
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Professor Dorothy Keefe
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Chief Executive Officer, Cancer Australia
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Ms Phillipa Lowrey
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Director, Cancer Service Section, Australian Department of Health |
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Dr Ashanya Malalasekera
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Medical Oncologist, Concord Cancer Centre, Concord Repatriation General Hospital NSW |
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Ms Angela Mellerick
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Nurse Unit Manager, Day Oncology Unit, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre
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Associate Professor Jeremy Millar
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Director of Radiation Oncology, Alfred Health |
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Mr John Preston
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Consumer Representative |
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Ms Danielle Spence
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Head of Division, Strategy and Support, Cancer Council Victoria
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Ms Kathryn Whitfield
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Assistant Director, Cancer & Aged Care Unit, Performance & Improvement Aged Cancer and Community Health Services Branch, Health and Wellbeing Division, Department of Health and Human Services |
For more information regarding the OCPs, or to send feedback, please email optimalcare.pathways@cancervic.org.au